This course examines the major political, economic and social issues facing governments across the world, and the policies developed and delivered by governments and other organisations.

Employed Aston Social Studies (including Politics) graduates earn £4,800 (27%) more than the UK average one year after graduating, according to the government's Longitudinal Education Outcomes survey (LEO).

A Level applicants who select this course as their Firm UCAS choice may be eligible for our lowered offer scheme. This means that the grades that you will need in order to be accepted on to the course will be reduced.

We welcome applications from students who have tried to improve their examination grades by taking resits. We treat these applications in exactly the same way as other applications.

*Applicants who select this course as their Firm UCAS choice may be eligible for our lowered offer scheme. This means that the A Level grades that you will need in order to be accepted on to the course will be reduced.

32 points in the IB diploma (including TOK/Bonus points) with 6,5,5 at HL.

Standard level Maths and English grade 5 required in lieu of GCSE English and Maths grade C/4.

Applicants who select this course as their Firm UCAS choice may be eligible for our lowered offer scheme. This means that the grades that you will need in order to be accepted on to the course will be reduced.

Pass Access to HE Diploma with Merit in each module. Humanities or Social Sciences Access course preferred, but other courses considered on an individual basis.

EPQ: A Level applicants who meet our offer criteria will be made the standard offer for their programme of choice, plus an alternative offer which will be one grade lower plus a grade B in EPQ, providing this course is selected as their Firm UCAS choice.

Other qualifications:If your qualification is not listed, please contact us using the form at the bottom of the page

Foundation Programme in Social Science (Aston University): For students with good A-level (or equivalent) grades, but who narrowly miss our standard requirements, it is also possible to gain entry to this course by completing a Foundation Year, although please note theprogression requirements.

Whilst the grades listed here are our entry requirements, we understand that predicted grades are only an estimate. We will therefore consider applicants with predicted grades that fall below these entry requirements if the application is of a high standard(however, initial offers will not be lower than stated below).

In addition to your predicted grades, when making offers we also consider your previous academic performance (eg GCSEs), your school/college reference and the commitment and motivation you demonstrate for your chosen course via the personal statement.

Application for second year entry will be considered by the programme director if there is space on that year of the programme. Typically, successful applicants for second year entry will:

Have A level (or equivalent) qualifications similar to those required for first year entry

Have gained (or be expected to gain) 120 credits on an equivalent programme at another recognised university

Obtained (or be expected to obtain) an overall average of 60% or above on an equivalent programme at another recognised university

Have not previously attempted the second year of a programme elsewhere

Individual programmes may have additional requirements in addition to those stated above. These will be clarified upon application.

The information contained on this website details the typical entry requirements for this course for the most commonly offered qualifications. Applicants with alternative qualifications may wish to enquire with the relevant admissions teams prior to application whether or not their qualifications are deemed acceptable. For less commonly encountered qualifications this will be judged on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the academic admissions tutor.

The placement year is an opportunity for you to set your studies in context and gain valuable professional experience. It is highly attractive to potential employers and many of our students are offered graduate jobs by their placement employer.

You can choose whether your placement has an international relations or a business focus and may be in the UK or abroad. Placements taken by Aston students are generally paid, with the average salary being around £16,000.

You will participate in lectures, tutorials, seminars, group and individual project work. Traditional teaching is supported by a virtual learning environment that is used to host a range of electronic supporting materials.

The course deals with many topical issues, and as a result we try to incorporate current media coverage and public debates into class discussions and to link these to academic research and commentary wherever possible.

There is a much stronger emphasis on reading and on your own private, independent study than at pre-degree level. To help you manage your learning, we set out your work for the year in an online student guide. This includes full details of all modules including week-by-week lecture breakdowns, reading lists and all coursework assignments for the year with the relevant deadlines. The University offers training courses in study skills, and the Library’s Learning Development Centre provides one-to-one instruction, workshops and study guides for academic research and writing.

We use a range of assessment methods and most modules are assessed with a combination of coursework and an end of year examination. Coursework includes essays, research reports, individual and group projects, statistics assignments, class tests and both individual and group presentations.

The Social Policy strand of the course examines the major economic and social issues facing governments across the world, and the policies developed and delivered by governments and other organisations. It builds upon various A-levels, including Politics (e.g. the role of the Government), Sociology (e.g. modern forms of power), Economics (e.g. market failure), Geography (e.g. globalisation) and Business Studies (e.g. Government support for enterprise).

The Politics strand of the course is concerned with the study of government and political action. In year one you will study introductory modules in Politics, the European Union, and governance. At the core of your second year are modules dealing with the history of political thought, as well as a focus on British, foreign and domestic policy. In your final year a politics research dissertation on an agreed topic of your choice counts for a substantial and challenging part of your programme.

Sample module options: The modules below are indicative only. When an offer is made, students will receive a detailed programme specification which forms part of our terms and conditions.

Year 1

Core modules:Introduction to Studying and Researching PoliticsBritish Politics since 1945Introduction to the European Union

Social IssuesFrom Social Problems to Public PoliciesBecoming a Social Scientist

Year 2

Core modules:Comparative Government and PoliticsHistory of Political Thought

Welfare States and Welfare ChangeResearch Methods

Optional modules:Introduction to Political EconomySecurity Studies in a Changing WorlRegional Politics and Society

Year 3

Final Year

International Migration and PolicyHealth PolicyAgeing, Society and PolicyThe Challenges of Climate ChangeThe Citizen and the StateCorporate Power in a Globalised World

Optional modules:EuroSim: Learning Negotiation through Simulation GamesThe International Relations of East AsiaReligion and Politics in Contemporary EuropePolitical CommunicationThe American PresidencyNationalism & Political PowerPolitical Parties and Party SystemsConflict and Politics in Contemporary BalkansContemporary ConflictDiplomacy and Soft PowerThe Far Right in EuropeThe Politics of Climate ChangeUnderstanding Foreign PolicyNortheast Asia: From Conflict to CooperationGender and PoliticsInterest groups and lobbyingRegions and Regionalism in EuropeContemporary Political TheoryPolitical Leaders: Case Studies and Comparative PerspectivesIntellectuals and Politics Power and Parliamentary Decision-MakingEthics and International Politics

Work, Organisations and SocietyRacism, class and genderContemporary Social MovementsLearning to Labour? Education and SocietyReligion and SocietySport, Culture and SocietyPregnancy and Politics: Cultural Norms and Family PolicyPopular Music and SocietyFood and Society in a Global Context